When Publix first announced it would release multiple new ice cream flavors for the holiday season, we, Palm Beach Post food reporters Diana Biederman and Eddie Ritz, had the same reaction: taste test! We immediately began plotting our frozen conquest.
With 14 limited-edition flavors hitting stores and eight of them brand new, including Coffee Chai Latte, Rum Nut Bread Pudding, Banana Nut Bread, Bourbon Eggnog, Candy Bar, Chocolate Stout Pretzel Blitz, Hot Honey Mascarpone Praline and Raspberry Elegance, it was shaping up to be an ice cream frenzy.
Then reality set in.
What was supposed to be a quick trip to the neighborhood Publix near the Post’s newsroom on Belvedere Boulevard in West Palm Beach turned into an Indiana Jones-style quest across Palm Beach County.
How the office taste test went down
We tasted Publix’s fall flavors on Oct. 8. Here’s how they stacked up.
Whether due to high demand or low inventory, these new flavors proved elusive.
But we were up to the challenge. After battling traffic and digging through freezer cases at not one, not two, but six Publix locations from West Palm Beach to Jupiter, we emerged victorious with seven of the eight new flavors in hand.
With those pints and half gallons secured, we assembled a mighty taste-testing team of Palm Beach Post journalists in the newsroom on Oct. 8.
Ta da! The results
Did the hot honey finish contribute to the flavor’s consistency?
Here’s a breakdown of our top picks:
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Hot Honey Mascarpone Praline was the standout. The mascarpone base was the creamiest of the bunch, and the pralines added a sweet, crunchy texture. But the real kicker? A subtle hot honey finish that brought just enough sizzle to balance the sweetness and wake up the taste buds.
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Raspberry Elegance earned second place. Ribbons of raspberry sauce created beautiful striations throughout the pint, and the white chocolate raspberry-flavored candy cups (think mini white chocolate Reese’s filled with tart raspberry) delivered a punch of flavor with every bite.
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Bourbon Eggnog rounded out the top three. While there’s no actual bourbon in the mix, the flavor evokes a 1960s “Mad Men” holiday party. Pro tip: blend a few scoops with ice and a splash of the real deal for a festive adult milkshake.
A day later, Chocolate Stout Pretzel Blitz finally surfaced after our official newsroom tasting.
The most elusive flavor didn’t quite live up to the chase. We were hoping for a stout-forward profile, something with the roasty depth and slight tang that defines a good pour, but the aftertaste beer notes barely registered. The pretzel swirl, chocolate pecans and peanut brittle pieces blended into something more Oreo-like than expected. Still, it was tasty.
What to know
Unlike our office Publix ice cream taste test in March, many of these flavors had a surprisingly soft consistency, even straight from the freezer.
We opened and tried one pint in-store, and later took pints home to double-check. Diana’s freezer is brand new, and Eddie’s is no slouch either. The texture stayed soft.
Our advice: If you’re going to indulge, we encourage doing it in one sitting.
As the press release warns, these flavors are available while supplies last. Pints are $5.49, half-gallons, $6.59.
Eddie Ritz and Diana Biederman are food and restaurant reporters at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: We tasted Publix’s new fall ice cream flavors. Here’s how they ranked
